Story Tags

Cover for Jamestowne: The Buried Truth

The New World

Different perspectives on American history!

Founding Mothers cover

Independence Day Books to Celebrate America's Founding

Can’t remember much of what you learned about the early years of America back in high school? Always wanted to know more about our Founders? Check out these accessible but well researched books on the early years of America.  

Your Maryland cover

Maryland Lore

Like the District, Maryland has a rich, fascinating history and plenty of regional lore. Many important events in American history occurred in the Old Free State. A number of prominent men and women lived and worked in Maryland, making their mark in history. Below are a selection of titles worth reading about Maryland.

Skeletons on the Zahara

True Survival

Non-Fiction Adventure

True-life adventure stories have made for popular reading for generations. The books listed below are retellings of bestselling firsthand accounts published in periodicals and books, months or days after the return home. Well researched, these newer works combine multiple firsthand experiences of survivors as well as rescuers wherever possible and make these much read stories even more accessible.

my promised land

Israel's Challenges

Suggested Reading

Modern Israel faces many challenges and those challenges seem to change from year to year.  Maybe you need a good grounding in the creation of Israel to be able to keep up with it all. That’s where these books come in handy.   My Promised Land by Ari Shavit

Historian and Lecturer, C.R Gibbs

C.R. Gibbs Lecture on African-American History and Culture

Ancient African Empires

The first presentation in our Spring African American History and Culture Lecture Series. Award-winning historian C. R. Gibbs will deliver a presentation entitled, "Ancient African Empires." Join us for this thought-provoking lecture. For more information, call (202) 576-7252. A discussion with the audience will follow the presentation.  

Historian C.R. Gibbs

C.R. Gibbs Lecture on African-American History and Culture

Come Out Fighting: How the Real Black Panthers and Other African Americans Fought the Axis and Helped Win World War II

The second presentation in our Spring African-American History Lecture Series, award-winning historian C. R. Gibbs will deliver a presentation entitled, "Come Out Fighting: How the Real Black Panthers and Other African Americans Fought the Axis and Helped Win World War II.” A discussion with the audience will follow the presentation.

heavens might crack

50 Years Ago

New Books about America in 1968

We are now 50 years out from the tumultuous events of 1968. DC Public Library is focusing on the ways in which events of that year resulted in the city and country we know today. Authors and publishers are doing the same, publishing a plethora of books about what happened in America during that time. While it's a year that has already had a lot of historical gaze fixed upon it, many of the new books are bringing fresh perspectives to that time.

Cracker!

DC Reads for Children and Teens

Starting a conversation about war, refugees, and immigrants

May is here, and that means DC Reads has begun. Throughout the month of May, our One City-One Book program encourages D.C. residents to read, discuss and connect around one book. This year's title is The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen, Pulitzer Prize-winner and newly appointed member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 

Portrait of Elizabeth Keckley.

Elizabeth Keckley Speaks: “My Life in Washington”

Celebrate Juneteenth and the life of a White House dressmaker.

Join us at Southwest Library as we celebrate Juneteenth and the life of an important Washington dressmaker.

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